Mooching around Osaka

I know we’ve just slipped into November, so I’m a little bit late on the final Osaka October blog post. If you haven’t been following on Twitter, you can check out all the Osaka photos I tweeted to celebrate #OsakaOctober. We had a lot of fun in Osaka, so I’d like to leave you with a few other area highlights that I recommend you visit if you ever go to the city…

Dotonbori/Shinsaibashi shopping arcade

Dotonbori is THE place to see Osaka in all its night-time glory. Go here for big crowds, neon signs, giant crabs and the famous giant Glico man. I recommend going here in the evening and spending a few hours people-watching – one particular highlight for us was watching the stand-off between hosts (leafletting young girls and enticing them into their expensive bars) and policemen regularly clearing them from the bridge. Don’t forget to go to the Shinsaibashi shopping arcade nearby, where you can buy everything from weird souvenirs to waterproofs for your dog.

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Hozenji Yokocho

Just a stone’s throw from the Dotonbori area is Hozenji Yokocho, a narrow old timey-looking alleyway filled with izakayas and restaurants. You’ll also find Hozenji Temple here, whose statues are watered by visitors for good luck.

DenDen Town

A smaller version of Tokyo’s Akihabara, but perfect for all your anime/manga/nerd needs. There is of course a big Animate store here, which is always worth a visit.

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Amerikamura

Amerikamura literally means ‘America town’ and is considered Osaka’s answer to the Harajuku fashion district. We wandered around this area on a Monday morning, when everything was still close, but there’s still a lot to see – including some artistic street lamps. I suggest going later in the afternoon or weekend if you want to see it in all its glory. The nearby Namba shrine is also worth a visit.

Shitennoji Temple

Shitennoji is one of Japan’s oldest temples and has beautiful grounds. We came across the temple when it was closed, but had a lovely time walking around and also spotted some cats, which is always a good thing.

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Yasaka Namba Shrine

This is a shrine in the shape of a lion’s head. Cool? Yes, and you must go for a great photo opportunity.